12th week of 2009 patent applcation highlights part 60 |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20090076820 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TAGTOE REMINDERS - A network-based text-to-speech (TTS) TagToe alert system is configured to take a user's textual and/or multimedia input to a TagToe user interface to schedule delivery of text-to-speech-converted TagToe information to one or more telephone call recipients. The text-to-speech converted TagToe information optionally includes e-commerce specific, location-specific, and/or product-specific information which may be presented to the one or more call recipients as additional voice information or interactive voice response (IVR) information. The TagToe alert system can be configured to provide an advanced level of integration between IP telephony and electronic transactions and online services for optimized efficiency and improved revenue to e-commerce. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076821 | METHOD AND APPARATUS TO CONTROL OPERATION OF A PLAYBACK DEVICE - Media metadata is accessible for a plurality of media items (See FIG. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076822 | Audio signal transforming - A sequence is received of time domain digital audio samples representing sound (e.g., a sound generated by a human voice or a musical instrument). The time domain digital audio samples are processed to derive a corresponding sequence of audio pulses in the time domain. Each of the audio pulses is associated with a characteristic frequency. Frequency domain information is derived about each of at least some of the audio pulses. The sound represented by the time domain digital audio samples is transformed by processing the audio pulses using the frequency domain information. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076823 | INTERACTIVE VOICE RESPONSE INTERFACE, SYSTEM, METHODS AND PROGRAM FOR CORRECTIONAL FACILITY COMMISSARY - An interactive voice response interface for a correctional facility commissary that detects violations of facility restrictions to orders for commissary goods at more than one point in time, and allows comprehensive review and editing of pending orders for commissary items. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076824 | REMOTE CONTROL SERVER PROTOCOL SYSTEM - A remote control server protocol system transports data to a client system. The client system communicates with the server application using a platform-independent communications protocol. The client system sends commands and audio data to the server application. The server application may respond by transmitting audio and other messages to the client system. The messages may be transmitted over a single communications channel. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076825 | METHOD OF ENHANCING SOUND FOR HEARING IMPAIRED INDIVIDUALS - A portable assistive listening system for enhancing sound for hearing impaired individuals includes a fully functional hearing aid and a separate handheld digital signal processing (DSP) device. The focus of the present invention is directed to the handheld DSP device and a unique method of processing incoming audio signals. The DSP device includes a programmable digital signal processor, a UWB transceiver for communicating with the hearing aid and/or other wireless audio sources, an LCD display, and a user input device (keypad). The handheld device is user programmable to apply different sound enhancement algorithms for enhancing sound signals received from the hearing aid and/or other audio source. The handheld device is capable of receiving audio signals from multiple sources, and gives the user control over selection of incoming sound sources and selective enhancement of sound. In the context of being user programmable, the digital signal processing device includes a software platform that provides for the ability of the user to select, or plug-in, desired enhancement algorithms for application to selected incoming audio signals. Specifically, the invention focuses on a method of buffering an incoming audio signal, and selectively replaying the buffered audio. The method further includes converting the replayed audio signal to text for display on the handheld DSP device. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076826 | Blind Watermarking of Audio Signals by Using Phase Modifications - Watermarking of audio signals intends to manipulate the audio signal in a way that the changes in the audio content cannot be recognised by the human auditory system. In order to reduce the audibility of the watermark and to improve the robustness of the watermarking the invention uses phase modification of the audio signal. In the frequency domain, the phase of the audio signal is manipulated by the phase of a reference phase sequence, followed by transform into time domain. Because a change of the audio signal phase over the whole frequency range can be audible, the phase manipulation is carried out with a maximum amount only within one or more small frequency ranges which are located in the higher frequencies and/or in noisy audio signal sections, according to psycho-acoustic principles. Preferably, the allowable amplitude of the phase changes in the remaining frequency ranges is controlled according to psycho-acoustic principles. The watermark is decoded from the watermarked audio signal by correlating it with corresponding inversely transformed candidate reference phase sequences. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076827 | Control of plurality of target systems - A system for controlling or operating a plurality of target systems via spoken commands is provided. The system includes a first plurality of target systems, a second plurality of controllers for controlling or operating target systems via spoken commands, a speech recognition system that stores interface information that is specific to a target system or a group of target systems that are to be controlled or operated. A first controller in the second plurality of controllers includes a microphone for picking up audible signals in the vicinity of the first controller and a device for transmitting the audible signals to a speech recognition system. The speech recognition system is operable to analyze the interface information to recognize spoken commands issued for controlling or operating said target system. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076828 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF DATA ENCODING - A data encoding device is provided, comprising: a data frame encoder configured to receive an incoming frame of data and to generate an encoded frame of data using a frame encoding scheme; a data frame decoder configured to receive the encoded frame of data and to generate a decoded frame of data using the frame encoding scheme, and frame decoding parameters; a subtractor configured to subtract the decoded frame of data from the incoming frame of data to generate base quantization noise information; a quantization noise encoder configured to receive the base quantization noise information and the frame decoding parameters, and to generate encoded quantization noise information using a noise encoding scheme; and a transmitting circuit configured to transmit the encoded frame of data and the encoded quantization noise information. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076829 | Device for Perceptual Weighting in Audio Encoding/Decoding - A hierarchical audio coder for use in a frequency band divided into adjacent first and second sub-bands, said coder comprising: a core coder ( | 2009-03-19 |
20090076830 | Methods and Arrangements for Audio Coding and Decoding - A method for audio coding and decoding comprises primary encoding of a present audio signal sample into an encoded representation (T(n)), and non-causal encoding of a first previous audio signal sample into an encoded enhancement representation (ET(n−N+)). The method further comprises providing of the encoded representations to an end user. At the end user, the method comprises primary decoding of the encoded representation (T*(n)) into a present received audio signal sample, and non-causal decoding of the encoded enhancement representation (ET*(n−N+)) into an enhancement first previous received audio signal sample. The method further comprises improving of a first previous received audio signal sample, corresponding to the first previous audio signal sample, based on the enhancement first previous received audio signal sample. Devices and systems for audio coding and decoding are also presented. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076831 | ONLINE AUCTION PROPAGATION - It has been discovered that instances of an item to be sold in online auctions may be linked to an already created online auction listing for the item. The associating propagates the online auction listing to these other item instances. The propagating allows junior bidders (i.e., losing bidders) to continue pursuing purchase of the associated item instances and allows the junior sellers of the associated item instances to leverage the information of the online auction listing. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076832 | INMATE PRIVILEGE KIOSK METHODS, SYSTEMS AND USER INTERFACE - A method of administrating inmate privileges in a correctional facility using a computer kiosk is provided. The method includes accepting data and information corresponding to inmate privileges for an inmate population, the data and information including restrictions on the inmate privileges. The method also includes accepting requests for privileges by an inmate, applying the restrictions to the accepted requests, and visually presenting information to the inmate regarding accepted requests. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076833 | Management and Control Electronic System Particularly for Checking Articles Provided With an Identification Code - An electronic management and check system is described, wherein a central system comprises a data storage system adapted to electronically store item codes used for identifying an item in an unambiguous way, as well as data processing means adapted to interrogate said data storage system and to interface with external communication systems. The invention is characterized in that said data storage system comprises memory areas containing position codes adapted to identify in an unambiguous way a position of said item, and in that said data processing means are adapted to receive a data string being organized in such a way as to separately identify an item code and a position code as well as to perform a comparison between the codes contained in said data string and the codes contained in said storage system. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076834 | Systems and methods for generating personalized dynamic presentations from non-personalized presentation structures and contents - A computer system for generating a dynamic presentation comprises:
| 2009-03-19 |
20090076835 | Customer service communication system and method - An improved customer service communication system and method, the preferred embodiment utilizing a vehicle's G.P.S. system to communicate via digital or cellular link with a variety of web-based, private, computer or call center networks to access or schedule maintenance for his or her vehicle, maintain said vehicle's service history, download or upload key vehicle operation and maintenance parameters and receive other information of interest, either vehicle directed, personal or of commercial interest, all with the flexibility of being able to access vehicle service also when traveling. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076836 | SYSTEMS, METHODS, SOFTWARE AND INTERFACES FOR REPORTING RESULTS DERIVED FROM JURY VERDICT SUMMARY CONTENT, COURT DOCUMENTS AND OTHER ANALYTICAL AND LITIGATION MATERIALS - The present inventors devised, among other things, an online legal research system that allows users to generate a report interface that not only summarizes key pieces of information, such as verdict information, but also enables access to related trending and statistical information as well as additional litigation, analytical, and expert materials. The exemplary system generates a dynamic verdict report based on parameters selected from a query-definition template having an embedded taxonomy. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076837 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PRODUCT DEFINITION - A system, method, and computer program for defining products, comprising creating a platform definition; reusing the platform definition in a plurality of product configurations; and delivering the plurality of product configurations to at least one program; whereby the platform definition is not modified and appropriate means and computer-readable instructions. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076838 | SHOPPING AND APPROVAL PROCESS - An electronic requisition processing method and system are disclosed. The method comprises the steps of preparing an electronic requisition including a requisition proposal; establishing an electronic list of approvers for the requisition; and at defined times, electronically recalculating the list. Preferably, this list is recalculated after each of at least some of the approvers act on the requisition; and the list is recalculated according to a given set of rules. Also, in the preferred system, the approval process is synchronous, whereby upon submission of the requisition, the requisition is immediately available for approval. Additionally, preferably, when each approver approves, the list is dynamically recalculated to take into account the availability of approvers further down in the list. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076839 | SEMANTIC SEARCH SYSTEM - A semantic search is provided. The semantic search generates related terms that relate to a search term using a selected ontology domain. The related terms may be compared to information in a medical document. The semantic search may also generate related terms for the medical document. The related terms for the medical document may be compared to the related terms that relate to the search term. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076840 | Wireless ICU - A method may include receiving information from two or more wireless sensors and identifying patient identification information included in the information. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076841 | RULES-BASED SOFTWARE AND METHODS FOR HEALTH CARE MEASUREMENT APPLICATIONS AND USES THEREOF - A rules based software user interface application and environment, comprising: a) a clinical quality measure library database schema, b) a clinical quality measure specification database schema, c) a rules library, d) a clinical business rule (CBR) editor, e) a key performance indicator (KPI) or clinical quality measure specification editor, f) a clinical quality runtime configuration module, g) a cost of care runtime configuration module and h) a runtime manager module and, in some embodiments, i) a measure testing module. In some embodiments, rules-based software applications comprise a component for delivery of clinical measure description libraries as a web or Internet application. In other embodiments, rules-based software applications comprise a component for measure testing which include a test data generator module which generates a test database with a known target measure result and an audit detail component for inspecting test results. In yet other embodiments, rules-based software applications comprise both a component for delivery of clinical measure description libraries as a web or Internet application and a measure testing component to support the development of measures. Methods of converting health-based input source data into measures of clinical quality or cost of care comprise: a) providing a source code application, b) providing a collection of source data that comprises health-related source data, and c) transforming the source data into at least one evidence-based care measure using the source code application. In some embodiments, contemplated care measures comprise quality of care measures, care of cost measures or combinations thereof. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076842 | METHOD FOR TAILORING STRATEGY MESSAGES FROM AN EXPERT SYSTEM TO ENHANCE SUCCESS WITH MODIFICATIONS TO HEALTH BEHAVIORS - A system and method for assisting with the maintenance of healthy lifestyle habits by generating tailored strategy messages within an expert system and then pushing those messages to the corresponding individual users of the cellular phones or other portable devices. The system and method allows diet and exercise plans to be tailored to individual users based on their preferences and provides consistent and appropriate strategy messages designed to encourage and motivate users toward successfully maintaining healthy lifestyle habits. Users complete initial assessments which detail individual food and physical activity preferences. The system uses the assessments to generate individualized messages that are pushed to user devices through a system incorporating cellular technologies. Tailored messages are pushed from the computer based expert system to user devices at predetermined times each day. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076843 | INTERACTIVE TEAM PORTAL SYSTEM - A team communication platform that combines messaging, video, testing, reporting, work flow diagramming, presentations, and performance analysis into a portal system that is made mobile through the use of synchronization services. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076844 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REMOTE DELIVERY OF A THERAPEUTIC TREATMENT - A system and method for remote delivery of a therapeutic treatment using a low-level light therapy (“LLLT”) device permits a user at a remote location to select and purchase a therapeutic session on a remote computer. The remote computer then transmits a request for the therapeutic session to a server at a treatment center, which then selects the corresponding treatment program and sends the program to the remote computer. The remote computer then transmits the treatment program to the LLLT device for executing the treatment program in order to deliver a therapeutic treatment to a user. The treatment program is then deleted from the LLLT device to preserve the security of the treatment program and discourage theft or misuse of the LLLT device. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076845 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MONITORING PATIENT CARE - Systems and methods are provided for facilitating management of health care in medical facilities such as hospitals, clinics, emergency rooms, etc., for example by monitoring and assessing the quality of patient care. Data is collected and operated on relating to medical conditions, treatment, cost, care, events, outcomes and results of treatments, and data representing the collective experience of similar patients is mined to discover opportunities to improve the quality of health care. Statistical and comparative data and reports including such and other information indicate a quality of care and provide epidemiologically cogent information. Quality of care may be considered as achieving desired or expected norms of performance, including success, in a timely fashion, and can be judged not just by what functionally happens during a patient instigated encounter, but also by long term outcomes evidenced by the patient's passage through the health care delivery system. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076846 | MEDICAL SEARCH CLINICAL INTERACTION - In searching medical information, problem oriented information related to a medical condition is solicited from a patient. Based at least in part on the problem oriented information, a plurality of findings are determined about the patient. Based at least in part on the plurality of findings, a plurality of queries associated with said medical condition are determined. Based at least in part on the plurality of queries, search is conducted to find information relevant to the medical condition. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076847 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR THE ANALYSIS AND ASSOCIATION OF PATIENT-SPECIFIC AND POPULATION-BASED GENOMIC DATA WITH DRUG SAFETY ADVERSE EVENT DATA - A method for assessing and analyzing one or more drugs, adverse effects and associated risks, and patient characteristics resulting from the use of at least drug of interest is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of selecting one or more cases for analysis, said cases describing the behavior between at least one drug of interest and a patient genotype; profiling statistically derived values from multiple cases related to the safety of the at least one drug, wherein at least one filter is employed for deriving said values; at least one data mining engine; and an output device for displaying the analytic results from the data mining engine. A system for performing the method is likewise disclosed. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076848 | System and Method for Delivering Medical Examination, Treatment and Assistance Over a Network - A system for delivering medical examination, diagnosis, and treatment services from a health care practitioner to a patient over a network includes a plurality of health care practitioner terminals and a plurality of patient terminals in audiovisual communication over the network with any of the plurality of health care practitioner terminals. Each of the plurality of health care practitioner terminals includes a display device. The system also includes a call center in communication with the patient terminals and the health care practitioner terminals. The call center routs a call from a patient at one of the patient terminals to an available health care practitioner at one of the health care practitioner terminals so that the available health care practitioner may carry on a two-way conversation with the patient and visually observe the patient. The available health care practitioner may make an assessment of the patient and treat the patient. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076849 | Systems and methods for patient-managed medical records and information - A system and methods for managing a patient's medical records and information that use a portable memory device that securely stores the patient's medical records and information. The portable memory device is formatted for designated access by the patient and third parties, wherein access requires authentication and verification by designated persons in non-emergencies, or by security override in emergency situations. The system and methods for managing a patient's medical records and information can be used at a patient's home, at the patient's physician's office, hospital, or pharmacy, and by emergency response team personnel. The system and methods can use home software designed for use on the patient's home computer or a computer designated by the patient for managing the patient's medical records and information. The patient's physician's office, hospital, or pharmacy, and emergency response team personnel use devices designed to interface with the portable storage device to view, print, and update the patient's medical records and information. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076850 | System for electronic prescriptions - A system and method are provided for electronic prescriptions. When a pharmacist receives a prescription that is denied by a patient's insurance company, the pharmacist enters information about the refused prescription into an electronic processing module. The information is submitted to an electronic processing tool which searches for alternative drugs and submits a report to the prescribing physician regarding the prescription's refusal and requesting correction. Upon receipt of the corrected prescription, the prescription is transmitted back to the pharmacist. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076851 | Early detection of disease outbreak using electronic patient data to reduce public health threat from bio-terrorism - A method is provided for automatically identifying a disease outbreak indicative of a potential bio-terror attack. Patient records are mined from structured and unstructured clinical sources. The patient records are then analyzed by correlating selected patient data contained in the patient records with disease indicia for each of a plurality of diseases. A probability of a disease outbreak is estimated at least in part based on these correlations. Suspicion may also be indicated if anomalous disease clusters are found. If any of the estimated probabilities exceeds a threshold value, a disease outbreak alert is outputted. The disease indicia may be defined by disease progression models, which may be stored in a disease knowledge base. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076852 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AN AUTOMATED PATIENT CONTROLLED SYSTEM OF HEALTH CARE PROVISION AND PATIENT MONITORING USING PERSONAL HEALTH RECORDS - A system to enable automated interactive provision of health care services by allowing selective remote monitoring of patient healthcare information. The system facilitating submission of patient health care instructions to a health care monitoring service, conversion of submitted health care instructions to a patient workflow template, and storage of the patient workflow template on a healthcare data server. The system further facilitating access to a patient workflow template in a healthcare data server with a shared care plan application interface, logging of patient workflow transactions related to a patient workflow template, and monitoring of logged patient workflow transactions with the health care monitoring service to determine if the patient health care instructions are being adhered to. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076853 | SYSTEM, APPARATUS AND METHOD OF MAKING IMAGE INTERPRETATION REPORT - To make an image interpretation report on present examination images like CT slice images taken from a patient, a report server is searched for a past report on past examination images taken from the same patient under similar condition. The past report contains an original image link data for linking a key image to an original image that is one of the past examination images. Concerning imaging positions, correspondence data representative of correspondence between the present images and the past images is produced. With reference to the original image link data of the past report and the correspondence data, a present key image is produced from one of the present images, which corresponds in imaging position to the original image of the past key image. Based on data relating to the present key image and data contained in the past report, a template for the present report is displayed on a screen. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076854 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR SAVING ON HEALTHCARE COSTS - A payer may save on healthcare costs and a service provider may receive information about payment according to the inventions. Data about service providers eligible to provide services to patients at in-network rates may be made available. A user seeking a service may select a service provider from the data made available. From the network(s) in which the selected service provider participates, a matching network may be chosen. If the selected service provider participates in more than one network, access and/or savings data for each network may be used to determine the match. Other factors may determine the match. Information relating to the user and matched network is provided to the selected service provider, who or which charges in-network rates for service to the user. The payer may be charged a portion of its savings for their accomplishment. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076855 | Apparatus, method and system for web-based health care marketplace portal - An apparatus, system, and method are provided to enable an individual to access and manage his health care via a web-based portal. The apparatus, system, and method further provide for the compiling and displaying of localized consumer health care information. In particular, the apparatus, system, and method provide a receiver configured to receive raw health information data from a health information source, and a processor configured to process the raw health information data by transforming the raw health information data into refined health information data. The apparatus, system, and method further provide a storage unit configured to store the refined health information data, and a display including a graphical user interface configured to display the refined health information data, enabling a user to access and manage health care needs of the user in a user selected geographical area. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076856 | PATIENT-SPECIFIC CONTENT DELIVERY METHODS AND SYSTEMS - Methods and systems for delivery of digital data in connection with medical treatment and patient care include detecting a current medical condition of a patient receiving medical treatment and delivering electronic informational data to the patient over a network. The informational data can be selected for delivery based on the current medical condition of the patient. The informational data can includes a plurality of informational data content options, and the patient can choose one or more of the informational data content options for delivery to the patient over the network. The chosen content can be displayed to the patient on a digital data display device, such as a touch screen monitor. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076857 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MANAGING PATIENT PHARMACEUTICAL CARE - Systems and methods are described for allowing a pharmacist to practice pharmaceutical care in an accurate and efficient manner. The present invention provides the systems for gathering, organizing, and maintaining the necessary clinical and patient data, and providing pharmacists access thereto, through integrated computer software. The clinical data classifies drugs into therapeutic classes, and for each class there is associated therewith known indications, contra-indications, recommended dosages, known adverse reactions, and drug interactions. A clinical database and a patient database are used. In the clinical database, each drug is assigned a unique identification code including a therapeutic cross reference (TXR). The TXR allows access to information associated with the drug's adverse reactions, and dosage recommendations, and also to disease indications and contra-indications via a link to the ICD-9s (International Classification of Diseases) associated with the diseases. The patient data includes patient diagnosis profiles and allergy profiles. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076858 | Business process automation in a health plan organization - The computer implemented method and system disclosed herein automates business processes of a health plan organization using a plurality of portals. The portals comprise a sales portal, a member portal, an employer portal, an administration portal, and a provider portal. Health plans are listed using the sales portal. A sales agent proposes at least one of the health plans to a consumer using the sales portal. The administration portal generates insurance quotes for the proposed health plans. The consumer enrolls for the proposed health plans using one of the member portal and the employer portal. The consumer is billed for the enrolled health plans based on the insurance quotes using the administration portal. The consumer pays a premium amount online for the enrolled health plans using the member portal or the employer portal. The administration portal then generates commissions for the sales agent for the enrolled health plans. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076859 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR HEDGING PORTFOLIOS OF VARIABLE ANNUITY LIABILITIES - A system and method for managing hedge program liability involving obtaining policyholder information that constitutes the liability portfolio and asset information that constitute the asset portfolio; simulating at least one partial sensitivity and valuation for the liability portfolio for projected market data to obtain valuation simulation data. The system and method then involves using market date information estimating at least one partial sensitivity and valuation of the liability and asset portfolios using the simulated partial sensitivity and the market data. Based on comparing the one estimated partial sensitivity against at least one partial sensitivity limit buying or selling one or more assets to restore the estimated partial sensitivity within the limit if the estimated partial sensitivity breaches the at least one partial sensitivity limit. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076860 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING INSURANCE - The invention provides a method for providing insurance. A body material of an animal is deposited in a depository of such animal body material. An insurance policy is established stipulating that the depositor of the animal body material is indemnified for expenses incurred for a medical or cosmetic treatment of the animal requiring body material of the type deposited by the depositor. A periodic premium for the insurance is collected. The invention also provides a system for providing the insurance. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076861 | INVESTMENT STYLE LIFE INSURANCE PRODUCT WITH REPLACABLE INDIVIDUAL POLICY COMPONENTS - The present invention includes a data model which supports database operations that are associated with an insurance product issued by an issuer that provides a consumer with an ability to purchase an investment style life insurance policy, the individual components of which (e.g., term insurance, investments, cash and fees) can be controlled and/or replaced by the consumer. The data model enables the individual components to be tracked by the issuer so that the correct insurance coverage and investment returns are provided (and appropriate fees levied) as the consumer makes changes to the individual insurance policy components. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076862 | AUTOMATED SPLIT TICKETING - An enhanced travel search tool aimed at providing travel opportunities includes a ticket splitter operating from a list of flight connections provided by a front-end flight search engine. The ticket splitter comprises a unit for valuating all ticket partitions generated from the provided list of connection flights and a tree of split criteria updated in a cache for determining the partitions and attributing to each partition a probability value of obtaining a split-ticket solution. The ticket splitter also includes a unit for selecting those of the valuated partitions that have a probability value higher than a defined threshold and provides a sorted list of recommended partitions to a back-end fare search engine to price all the selected partitions including a reference single-ticket solution. Travel search tool offering of travel opportunities is enhanced by automatically including multi-ticket travel solutions. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076863 | Designated user enabled retailing system - The present invention relates to a user enabled product and service fulfillment system in which a cell phone is used to enter prompts for products and services. The system of the present invention enables users to regularly receive products and or services that are routinely ordered without the necessity of having to re-enter such products or services each time a user connects with the system. The user may also supplement each order with available additional products or service offerings which are not routinely ordered by the user. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076864 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR RULES-BASED SERIALIZED SERVICE TRANSACTION PROCESSING - The present invention is directed to a services system using Internet Protocol (“IP”), integrating applications, and enabling participants of the services system to collaborate, and build, provision, and manage payment (commerce) services. The services network enables multiple transactions contained within a single transaction message to be processed by multiple participants within in the service system. Commerce business rules govern how individual transactions with a multi-transaction message are processed by participants in the service system. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076865 | METHODS TO PROVISION, AUDIT AND REMEDIATE BUSINESS AND IT ROLES OF A USER - A business role for a user is selected based on a job title of the user. IT roles are identified based on the selected business role. Provisioned IT roles of the user are compared to the identified IT roles. Differences between the identified and provisioned IT roles are remedied. The differences may be remedied by changing the business role definition. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076866 | Revenue Assurance Analytics - A system and method of revenue assurance for a service activity are presented. Multiple data feeds are received by a revenue assurance analytic system, where each data feed contains the same logical component of the service activity. The multiple data feeds are processed to detect revenue assurance issues in the service activity based on one or more common linking keys between disparate records related to the logical component. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076867 | BALANCED SCORECARD AND REPORTING TOOL - Methods and systems for developing key performance indicator (KPI) systems are provided. A centralized data store contains an indexed collection of KPIs. The KPIs may be arranged in a manner that facilitates rapid searching and retrieval. Multiple computer devices are connected to the centralized data store. The computer devices are programmed with computer-executable instructions for searching the data store and creating balanced scorecard applications that utilize one or more of the KPIs. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076868 | Automated Electronic Commerce Data Analyzing and Sales System - A method, apparatus, and computer readable storage to implement an automated e-commerce monitoring system. Data can be extracted from different e-commerce sites in an inconspicuous manner. The different auction sites can be monitored for arbitrage situations and suspicious sellers or items for sale. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076869 | Methods and Systems for Price Block Interruption - In at least one aspect, the invention comprises a computer-implemented method comprising: (a) electronically receiving a price request; (b) processing in a pipeline price information corresponding to said price request by applying a sequence of configurable rules to said price information; (c) temporarily withdrawing said price information from said pipeline while at least one of said configurable rules being applied is waiting for additional information; (d) inserting said price information into said pipeline after said additional information is received by said at least one of said configurable rules; (e) calculating a price based on said processed price information; and (f) electronically transmitting said price in response to said price request. Other aspects of the invention comprise related software and system implementations. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076870 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DATA COLLECTION AT A POINT OF RETURN - Systems and methods are described for collecting data at a merchant's point of return for use in processing a merchandise return transaction that is being requested by a customer. In various embodiments, the data may be collected using a wide variety of data collection technologies and may be used in conjunction with stored data, including data collected from other merchants, by a return authorization system to make a determination whether to accept or deny the requested merchandise return. The data may additionally or alternatively be used to determine whether to issue a warning to the customer about limitations on future return transactions presented by the customer. Examples of data categories that may be collected include, but are not limited to, information about: the merchant, the customer, the requested transaction, the merchandise being returned, one or more receipts, a clerk processing the transaction, and other general applicable information. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076871 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR HANDLING INTERACTIONS RELATING TO CUSTOMER ACCOUNTS BASED ON A STATUS OF EXISTING TROUBLE TICKETS - Methods and systems handle interactions relating to customer accounts by determining the status of existing trouble tickets and then taking an action on behalf of a customer service agent based on the determined status. If no trouble tickets are currently unclosed for the customer account, then a new trouble ticket is opened. If only one trouble ticket is unclosed for the customer account, then the one trouble ticket is statused for the agent. If multiple trouble tickets are unclosed for the customer account, then those unclosed tickets are displayed within a list for selection by the agent. The list may provide the agent with the option to select a new trouble ticket should the existing trouble tickets not be applicable to the current interaction with the customer. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076872 | Convergence Of Customer And Internal Assets - An information management system providing a consolidated representation of a plurality of assets is disclosed. According to one embodiment, the information management system includes a data repository operable to store a plurality of global asset definitions which represent enterprise-owned assets and customer-owned assets. In one embodiment, one global asset definition is stored as a record of an asset of the plurality of assets. The global asset definition includes a functional specification of the asset and a physical attribute of the asset. The system further includes a work management application communicatively coupled to the data repository which provides a work flow manager that is operable to determine a work flow associated with the global asset definition. The work flow manager is further operable to manage the execution of the work flow. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076873 | Method and system to improve engineered system decisions and transfer risk - A method and system are provided to improve industrial engineered systems such as oil well drilling decisions and transfer risk. The method and system each include an interactive decision-support planning tool that aids a user as to how to select a portfolio of engineered systems and entities that the systems will process such as aircraft engines and flights, rigs and reserves, apparatus configuration, apparatus inspection, apparatus on line sensors, dynamic operations decisioning for the apparatus and drill path or asset dispatching and a contractual incentive to allocate risks to stakeholders best positioned to abate them. The decision support will reduce a fleet's financial risk associated with the cost of operations below that achievable without using the interactive decision-support planning tool and/or increase financial return associated with the cost of activity above that achievable without using the interactive decision-support planning tool, such that the financial risk and/or financial return are allocated in a desired manner among a plurality of operations stakeholders. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076874 | Method and Tool for Optimized System Maintenance - A method for maintaining a system consisting of a plurality of components, comprises the steps of collecting maintenance information for each component of the system for which maintenance information is available; providing a maintenance schedule for components of the system; operating the system; and maintaining the system wherein during scheduled maintenance of a component information about the status of that component is acquired, during a failure of a component information about the failure of that component is acquired, and modifying the maintenance schedule according to the acquired information. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076875 | SYSTEM FOR QUEUE AND SERVICE MANAGEMENT - A system for service queue management is disclosed including a terminal controlled by the system having a processing platform to generate service queue information for a user, and a mechanism for the user to request or receive the service queue information. The processing platform preferably transmits promotions related to goods and services associated with the service queue information to a user. The mechanism for the user to request or receive service queue information may preferably include a user's mobile communications device or a manually-activated device located on the terminal. Service queue information may include a queue number, next queue number to be issued, estimated wait time for service, a predicted time of service, time of issuance of ticket, predicted queue-waiting time, marketing messages, instructions for use of said ticket dispenser, and average queue-waiting time. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076876 | Method of Scheduling and Event Processing in Computer Operating System - A transaction process system ( | 2009-03-19 |
20090076877 | Program, method and apparatus for modeling Workflow - Update history information of databases is analyzed, and workflow models are automatically displayed with typical workflows and exceptional workflows separately represented. An update history information storage unit stores update history information including identification information of a data update process, and the name and updated time of an updated data set. A workflow extractor generates flow information where the names of updated data sets are arranged in chronological order of updated time, oldest first, for every data update process, and counts the number of appearances of flow information of same. Out of the workflows represented by the flow information, the workflow classification unit classifies the workflows into typical and exceptional workflows depending on the number of appearances. A workflow model display unit displays a typical workflow diagram showing the typical workflows, and in response to user input, displays an exceptional workflow diagram showing the typical and exceptional workflows. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076878 | EFFICIENT PROJECT STAFFING - A system may include reception of an indication of a user interface event, determination of an instruction to assign a person to a task based on the user interface event, calling of a service of a user interface controller object to assign the person to the task based on the determined instruction, calling of a service of a business object associated with the task to assign the person to the task, update of the business object to assign the person to the task, synchronization of the user interface controller object with the updated business object, and generation of a user interface to present a Gantt chart representing the updated business object. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076879 | System and method for deployment and financing of a security system - A method is provided to itemize, install, finance and monitor a security system on a school campus. A behavioral recognition training program for administration and staff is provided. A set of financing options is provided that minimizes or eliminates the burden placed on the school district for payment and maintenance of the security system. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076880 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING THE ACTIVITIES OF AN ORGANIZATION - A management tool is disclosed that provides for the comprehensive management of the objectives, policies, tasks, documents, information and activities (collectively “activities”) to an organization. Activities across different levels of an organization and/or involving different groups within an organization can be managed using a single system. Metrics can be captured and analyzed at different levels in the organization. The tool enhances the ability of an organization to strategically align personnel and departments to facilitate the applicable objects and values of the organization. Transparency can be enhanced across different functional groups, and from top to bottom in the organization. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076881 | System and method for refining media recommendations - An archiving system is provided for archiving a user's media collection and refining recommendations made to the user by an e-commerce service, such as an e-commerce website, based on the archive of the user's media collection. In general, a central archiving system interacts with a user system to archive a user's media collection. Thereafter, while the user is interacting with the e-commerce service, a list of recommended media for the user is generated and provided to the archiving system. The archiving system refines the list based on the archive of the user's media collection. Optionally, the list of recommended media may be further refined based on a user profile and play history of the user. The refined list of recommended media is returned to the e-commerce service and presented to the user. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076882 | MULTI-MODAL RELEVANCY MATCHING - This document describes techniques capable of associating relevant entities, such as advertisements, with insertion points within a media file. These techniques calculate a global relevancy between entities and the media file. These techniques may also calculate a local relevancy between the entities and one or more insertion points within the media file. Both global and local relevancies may employ textual and non-textual information. With use of the calculated global and local relevancies, the techniques associate one or more entities with each of the one or more insertion points in the media file. These techniques thus enable, for each insertion point, associating a most relevant entity for a particular insertion point with the insertion point. Therefore, when a user consumes the media file the user may also consume a most relevant entity at and for each insertion point in the media file. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076883 | MULTIMEDIA ENGAGEMENT STUDY - A media engagement system determines engagement scores for media vehicles across multiple media channels. The engagements scores for a media vehicle comprise multiple dimension scores indicating various aspects of engagement for that particular media vehicle. The dimension scores may be related to inspirational, trustworthy, life enhancing, social interaction, personal timeout, and ad attention/receptivity engagement dimensions, for example. The dimensions scores associated with respective engagement dimensions are based on responses to specific statements in engagement surveys completed by multiple media consumers. Thus, each statement in the engagement survey is associated with at least one engagement dimension and the engagement dimension score is then calculated based on media consumer responses to the statements associated with the respective engagement dimension. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076884 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CROSS-SELLING PRODUCTS AND SERVICES ACROSS AN ENTERPRISE - A system for cross-selling products and/or services across an enterprise comprising an enterprise-level decision engine and a plurality of line-of-business decision engines; wherein characteristics derived by the enterprise-level decision engine are used by the line-of business-level decision engines to generate cross-sell offer decisions; enterprise-level business rules and line-of-business-level business rules are managed independently of one another; a publish-subscribe message framework allows data to be published at an enterprise level and subscribed to by the line-of-business decision engines according to business rules established at the line-of-business level; the line-of-business decision engines generate cross-sell offer decisions; and the enterprise-level decision engine stores data to and retrieves data from an operational and an analytics data repository. A method of using the system described above to generate cross-sell offer decisions. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076885 | Multiple Data Transfers to Generate User Dependent Lifestyle Choice Recommendation - Disclosed are media based lifestyle choice recommendation systems, methods, and apparatus using multiple data transfers from numerous accessible database resources to automatically generate lifestyle choice type recommendations. These recommendations are based upon media collection and other associated information related to the user found in databases, screen scrapes or local searches of the user's computer. This information is made available by the user or formulated by the system using gathered and sorted data. One embodiment obtains data by ID3 tag conversion, fuzzy string searching, built in support to third party systems and media players with work-a-rounds or API support. Other embodiments utilize automated screen scrapes employing additional techniques, including perl scripts and software for the visually impaired. Another embodiment utilizes prior purchase information or an IP address “sniffer.” Recommendations may be presented spontaneously or upon user request, as pure data options or with a paid for sponsor integration ad model. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076886 | ADVERTISEMENT PLUSBOX - A first query including one or more keywords is received, and content associated with the one or more keywords is identified. A second query including the one or more keywords is received, and a product or service associated with the sponsored content is identified based on the one or more keywords. Information associated with the product/service is stored, and a selection is received from a display device indicating a request to display the information associated with the product/service. The information associated with the product/service is provided to the display device. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076887 | System And Method Of Collecting Market-Related Data Via A Web-Based Networking Environment - Systems and methods of tracking web content provided by a plurality of users. In one aspect, embodiments of the present disclosure include a method, which may be implemented on a system, of hosting web content in response to receiving a request from a user of the plurality of users. One embodiment can include, identifying a set of relational attributes of the user associated with the web content, enforcing a set of rules that govern accessibility of the web content, the set of rules to be determined based the set of relational attributes, tracking access and distribution of the web content by one or more of the plurality of users, and collecting data related to the access and distribution of the web content among the one or more of the plurality of users. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076888 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR EVALUATING RETAIL AND RELATED REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES - Potential retail or related real estate development sites are identified using computer databases and algorithms to derive normative association between the supply and demand characteristics of certain trade areas. For a particular site location, the method identifies the most suitable square footage amount for retail or related real estate development. For a particular shopping center, the method identifies individual tenants that are most suitable for inclusion at the particular location. Further, in another embodiment there is provided a method which identifies existing facilities in the nation or region that are most analogous thereby providing a means of forecasting sales for new real estate development. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076889 | SYSTEMS FOR COMMUNICATING CURRENT AND FUTURE ACTIVITY INFORMATION AMONG MOBILE INTERNET USERS AND METHODS THEREFOR - The invention relates, in one embodiment to a computer-implemented method implemented via the Internet for coordinating an activity between a user of a mobile Internet device and other users communicating through the Internet. The method includes receiving activity information pertaining to the event from the user via the mobile Internet device. The activity pertains to an activity occurring during a time period that overlaps the time the activity information is received. The method further includes transmitting the activity information to a backend database coupled to the Internet, the backend database being remote from the mobile Internet device. The method further includes rendering the activity information accessible to at least one recipient via the Internet. The recipient represents a subset of the users coupled to the Internet and having access privilege to information pertaining to the event involving the user. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076890 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR VALUING MEDIA INVENTORY FOR THE DISPLAY OF MARKETING CAMPAIGNS ON A PLURALITY OF MEDIA DEVICES AT PUBLIC LOCATIONS - A system and method to value media inventory for the display of marketing campaigns on a network of media devices. The system measures past marketing campaign performance and efficiency and assigns a campaign impact value to the advertising opportunity achieved by the execution of past campaigns. Summaries of the campaign impact of past campaigns are stored in a benchmarking archive. The system uses the data contained in the benchmarking archive in order to calculate the value of the network's media inventory, namely the capacity or availability of the network of media devices to play or display future campaigns. The value of the media inventory is used to appropriately assign media inventory to new campaigns that are to be shown on the network of media devices. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076891 | SYSTEM FOR ELECTRONIC VOTING USING A TRUSTED COMPUTING PLATFORM - An apparatus for executing a trusted electronic voting system under the control of an election authority comprising: at least one electronic voting machine; an election configuration for the voting machine in the electronic voting system; and a trusted computing platform for the voting machine in the electronic voting system. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076892 | System, method and device for playing recorded music on a wireless communications device - A system and method for receiving an electronic response to an advertisement that is wirelessly transmitted to a mobile wireless communications device involve routing a connection from the wireless communications device to a source based at least in part on a location of the mobile wireless communications device. A wireless communications device has an input and a display and, in response to an input indicating interest in that which is advertised, transmits its location for use in routing a connection with a source associated with the advertisement. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076893 | METHOD FOR MEMORIALIZING AN INDIVIDUAL'S CREATIVE WORKS - A facilitating entity solicits or is solicited by an organization wishing to conduct a program on a regular basis whereby participants' creative works are memorialized via the creation of commemorative prints. The organization is provided with instructions regarding the conduct of the program. Creative works are received in at least one of electronic and non-electronic format. Creative works received, if any, in non-electronic format are converted to electronic format. The creative works in electronic format along with other information relevant to at least one of the participants, the organization and the program are stored in a content database, the content database being operable to associate the stored creative works with at least a portion of the other information. Orders are received and the commemorative works are generated for the creative works stored in the content database. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076894 | Advertising in Virtual Environments Based on Crowd Statistics - Embodiments of the invention may be used to place a targeted advertisement on a billboard (or other advertising location) in an immersive virtual environment by determining the interests of a group of users at a given location to calculate an advertisement matching the whole group. The selected advisement may be based not only on the sum of individual interests for the avatars present in the particular location, but also current interaction between the avatars. As groups of users communicate with one another within a virtual world, the substance of their communications may contribute to what advertisement is selected and presented to the avatars at the advertising location. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076895 | SHOPPING CART ACCOUNTABILITY USING COUPON INCENTIVES - A system and method encourage a shopper to return a shopping cart to a corral at a store. In the system, detectors recognize the shopper and the cart selected by the shopper at the cart corral. Further, the system includes a scanner at the point-of-sale that recognizes the shopper and records the goods purchased by the shopper. During operation of the system, a controller monitors the goods purchased by the shopper and determines suggested goods for subsequent purchase by the shopper. If the shopper returns the cart to the cart corral, the controller provides the shopper with coupons for the suggested goods. In order to provide the shopper with the coupons for purchase of the suggested goods, the system may include a coupon dispenser mounted on the cart or on the cart corral. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076896 | MERCHANT SUPPLIED OFFER TO A CONSUMER WITHIN A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE - An merchant supplies a requested offer for inventory to a consumer when the consumer is within a predetermined distance from the merchant. The merchant transmits a merchant identifier, a description of the inventory of the merchant that the merchant is willing to make an offer on, the offer, and instructions to transmit the offer to the consumer making the request for the inventory when the consumer is within the predetermined distance. The merchant receives notice that the offer has been made to the consumer. The consumer accepts the merchant's offer by entering into a transaction with the merchant for the requested inventory that applies the offer to the transaction. The value of the offer may be based on a parameter such as the transaction history of an account associated with the consumer within a payment processing system. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076897 | LOCATION-BASED FILTERING AND ADVERTISING ENHANCEMENTS FOR MERGED BROWSING OF NETWORK CONTENTS - Location-based filtering and advertising enhancements for merged browsing of network content are described herein. In various embodiments, a client device may obtain its geographic location and provide that location to a server for filtering by the server of network content fragment suggestions based at least in part on the location. The client device may then receive some or all of the filtered suggestions for utilization in merged browsing. In some embodiments, a server may further receive an indicator of content being browsed. In response, the server may determine network content fragment suggestions, and may also determine an additional suggestion or prioritize a suggestion based an advertiser's interest. The server may then provide the suggestions and/or prioritization to the client device. In various embodiments, the server may also provide the advertisement(s) for display in a user interface of the client device along with the (prioritized) suggestions. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076898 | System And Method For Delivering Offline Advertisement Supported Digital Content - A system for receiving advertisement supported content in a media device, including a media collector for receiving primary content and secondary content in a media device, the primary content comprising a media asset and the secondary content comprising an advertisement, a file system for organizing the primary content and the secondary content, and a player for playing the primary content and inserting the secondary content into the primary content at a time determined by the file system. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076899 | METHOD FOR ANALYZING, SEARCHING FOR, AND TRADING TARGETED ADVERTISEMENT SPACES - Methods, systems and apparatuses for creating and aggregating analytical data on advertisement spaces, searching for advertisement spaces that meet specific analytical criteria, and pricing and trading such advertisement spaces in an open and transparent way are described. Analytical information including tags, demographic distributions, geographic traffic statistics, ratings and reviews are compiled and categorized for each advertisement space. A user interface allows users to combine one or more queries to find advertisement spaces that meet their own needs. The user interface displays the results in thumbnail lists, tag clouds, tables or structured formats. Finally, when an advertisement space has been chosen, the trading system creates a stock market metaphor for buying and selling “Rights to advertise” on such advertisement spaces. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076900 | METHOD AND SYSTEM OF FACILITATING THE SALE OF A LEGAL RIGHT TO PERMANENTLY USE PART OF AN OCEAN CRUISER - The method of the present invention facilitates the sale of a right to permanently use a portion of an ocean cruiser. The method comprises making an original offer for sale to a purchaser of a right in the ocean cruiser, said right having a first present monetary value. The offer is linked to an offer for sale of a zero coupon bond having a redemption value payable after a certain number of years, said zero coupon bond having a second present monetary value which in a preferred embodiment is equal to the first present monetary value of the share. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076901 | GENERATING ADVERTISEMENTS USING USER ASSETS - The present disclosure is directed to a system and method for generating ads using user assets. In some implementations, a method includes receiving one or more assets associated with advertising in at least one printed publication. One or more ads compatible with ad slots in the at least one publication are automatically generated based, at least in part, on the received assets. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076902 | ADVERTISING WITHIN ADDRESS BOOKS - Methods, systems, and apparatuses for advertising using address book tools are provided. A plurality of contact entries is stored in a contact database for a user. The user is enabled to interact with the stored contact entries, including a contact entry identified as a business contact entry. The business contact entry of the contact database and a selected advertisement are displayed when the user views the business contact entry. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076903 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REWARDING USERS FOR CHANGES IN HEALTH BEHAVIORS - A system and method for generating and sending reward messages to users accomplishing goals related to a personalized health behavior plan. Rewards may be issued for reasons such as achieving an ultimate goal, reaching an intermediate goal, or completing a suggested activity such as eating a suggested meal or performing a suggested physical activity. A reward may be a coupon for use at an establishment such as a restaurant, a clothing store, or a fitness center. Rewards may also be checks sent through postal mail or coupons for printing on a personal printer. Reward messages are generated by an expert system based on a user's personalized diet, exercise, or other health plan, goals associated with the plan, and specified preferences. Reward messages are sent to user's portable devices. Current location information may be used to send a user a reward for use at a nearby establishment. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076904 | Embedding digital values for digital exchange - A system and methods are provided for the coupling of a digital value, credit, or cash with advertisements. Advertisements may include any sponsored content for presentation to a user. The advertisements may be placed with other content for presentation to a user. As the advertisements are presented to a user, the user accumulates the value, credit, or digital cash associated with the advertisements, which may be used to access or purchase additional content or services. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076905 | Combination retailing system providing customized prime printing services and consumer based product offerings - The present invention relates to a retailing system that provides a series of consumer products, customizable prime business communication products and a selection of ready to eat convenience food products. The retail system is provided at a fixed retail location such as a kiosk or permanent installation and may include a series of advertising panels displaying one or more products that is offered by the retail system. The retail system further includes one or more transaction points enabling a user to obtain the consumer goods, business communication products and ready to eat convenience foods. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076906 | System and method for providing advertisement data to a mobile computing device - A mobile computing device includes a processor, a display coupled to the processor, a memory coupled to the processor and configured to store user-specific data, and a location-determining circuit configured to determine the location of the portable electronic device. The processor is configured to provide advertisement data on the display based upon the location of the portable electronic device and the user-specific data. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076907 | Method and system for providing media content - A technique for providing media content such as advertisements enables, among other things, advertisers to schedule their advertisements more effectively and accurately determine the number of consumers that receive their advertisements. According to an exemplary embodiment, a method for providing media content via a system includes steps of detecting a number of user devices logged onto the system, and providing the media content to the user devices responsive to the detected number. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076908 | USER GENERATION OF KEYWORDS FOR CONTENT AUTHORED BY THEM - A content generator (i.e., a user) provides an indication of the subject matter that is then usable for advertisement targeting. In accordance with an additional aspect, the user is rewarded when a reader of the content views or otherwise monetizes an advertisement that has been generated based on the user-provided indication. Furthermore, in some aspects, the more successful a user is at indicating subject matter, as determined by monetization of advertisements generated based on the subject matter indications, the higher that indicating user is ranked. Rewarding of that indicating user may be concomitantly increased. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076909 | VIDEO CHANNEL AD SYSTEM AND METHOD - A video channel ad for providing continuous video to a user is described herein. A plurality of thumbnails of various clips may be interacted with to provide various video clips associated with the relevant thumbnails. In maintaining a user's attention, the video plays continuously and transitions between states of the video channel ad are made in a gradual and smooth manner. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076910 | Method and system for facilitating a Worldwide Warehouse via an electronic network - A method of automation for loosely affiliated national & international Merchants operating independent businesses from their own exclusive web based stores to market a plurality of products or services and directly retail each other's merchandise as well as their own. That is, numerous merchants operating independently within a technology-based platform may designate products as ‘Available for Re-sale’ (wholesale Merchandise); said merchandise is robotically inserted into participating stores within the system. When consumers place their retail orders from any web-store, the retail and wholesale transactions are simultaneously completed without further interaction. The retailing merchant (seller) is not required to pre-purchase, stock, or ship any merchandise, thus eliminating traditional multiple-shipping costs from manufacturer to distributor, distributor to retailer, retailer to consumer. The result is that the Wholesaler's merchandise is automatically displayed and sold in the Retailer's store, then perfunctorily shipped from numerous locations across the globe thereby establishing a worldwide warehouse. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076911 | MOBILE COUPONS UTILIZING PEER TO PEER RANGING - Providing for distribution of a dynamic mobile coupon (DMC) based on verified peer-to-peer (P-P) ranging between two wireless devices is described herein. By way of example, a first device can form a wireless link with a mobile device and initiate P-P ranging. By analyzing signals sent over the wireless link, a distance between such devices can be determined. In addition, at least a minimum distance between such devices can be verified based on actions performed by the mobile device that require a minimum completion time. Based in part on this verified distance, a DMC can be issued to the mobile device. Accordingly, the subject disclosure provides for increased security for issuing the DMC and mitigation of device spoofing, by verifying a minimum distance to the mobile devices and conditioning issuance of the DMC on such verified distance. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076912 | MANAGEMENT OF DYNAMIC ELECTRONIC COUPONS - Providing for management of a dynamic mobile coupon (DMC) at a mobile device is described herein. Particularly, dynamic characteristics associated with the DMC, such as a redeemable value, can be utilized to browse, sort, search, recall, or redeem the DMC utilizing a user interface of the mobile device. In other aspects, a DMC management application can interact with server components to backup and store DMC data, synchronize dynamic information (e.g., a dynamic redeemable value), access or manage a user profile, interface with other mobile devices to accomplish sharing, trading, exchanging, selling the DMC, and so on. Accordingly, provided is an efficient and personable way to manage mobile coupons in a mobile operating environment and provide increased value and utility for a user of such coupons. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076913 | Method for Obtaining Biodiesel, Alternative Fuels and Renewable Fuels Tax Credits and Treatment - The present invention relates to a method of obtaining U.S. Federal and State tax credits, U.S. Federal renewable fuel treatment, and other incentives by production of esters manufactured by the esterification of carboxylic acids using slurry phase, heterogeneous catalyzed, reactive distillation, and sale thereof for U.S. consumption as a renewable fuel. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076914 | PROVIDING COMPENSATION TO SUPPLIERS OF INFORMATION - The invention relates to providing compensation to suppliers of information, particularly in an on-line, web-based environment. In one embodiment, a server computing device is in communication with a storage device, and is configured to interact over a communications system with one or more client computing devices. Each of the client computing devices has associated therewith one or more user profiles, each of the user profiles includes one or more user profile information items from one or more suppliers. The server computing device is configured to execute software that results in compensation to one or more of the suppliers. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076915 | Method and system for providing micro-targeted mobile advertisements - The present invention provides methods for providing advertisements using one or more vehicles, which comprise producing an advertisement for a vehicle and selecting a vehicle for the advertisement. The vehicle is selected that has a profile that corresponds to the advertisement profile. The present invention also provide systems and storage media for implementing the methods. With the methods, systems, and/or media, micro-targeted mobile advertising can be provided. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076916 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR THIRD-PARTY AD SERVING OF INTERNET WIDGETS - A system for interactive delivery of rich media application pods, is disclosed. The system includes a web content server, a client web browser and an advertisement unit server. The web content server is configured to store a webpage having a designated location for an application pod ad unit. The application pod ad unit is configured to enable user interactions to request a rich media application pod. The client web browser is communicatively connected to the web content server and is configured to render the webpage and allow user interactions with the webpage. The advertisement unit server is communicatively connected to the client web browser and configured to receive the rich media application pod request, and dynamically process the rich media application pod to provide the requested rich media application pod. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076917 | FACILITATING PRESENTATION OF ADS RELATING TO WORDS OF A MESSAGE - Targeted delivery of contextually relevant ad impressions to a mobile device is provided. The ad impressions are delivered within text messages and/or instant message chat threads. Monetizing of text messaging and instant messaging by providers of such services is achieved, while providing unobtrusive and contextually relevant information to users of such services. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076918 | Advertisement-Supported Shipping - A server accepts shipping information from would-be shippers, advertising information from would-be advertisers, and correlates the two to match up an advertiser with a suitable shipper. The server contacts a carrier with the shipping information to obtain a shipping label and tracking number, and forwards this to the shipper, together with the advertisement. The shipper places the advertisement within the package, and provides the package to the carrier for delivery. The server sends one or more tracking messages to the recipient, which contain tracking information and an advertisement. The advertiser pays an advertising fee, which is used to provide a reward to the shipper for carrying the advertisement. | 2009-03-19 |
20090076919 | MONITORING APPLICATION FOR AUTOMATICALLY REQUESTING CONTENT - Embodiments of the instant invention are directed to a system, apparatus and method for monitoring a user's activities and displaying and presenting unsolicited content to users over a wide area network. Embodiments of the instant invention include a monitoring system comprising an activity monitor and a content transfer and display means, wherein the activity monitor comprises an event identifier and a timer. The monitoring system monitors user activities, identifies trigger events, measures the elapsed time of inactivity of the user and initiates the presentation of unsolicited data, or content, to the user computer. In general, the monitoring system identifies trigger events and measures the elapsed time between trigger events. If the elapsed time between the trigger events exceeds a predefined time period the monitoring system causes unsolicited data to be presented on the user computer. | 2009-03-19 |